The Legend of Zelda: The Lost Sages
by celticskyedancer
Summary: When Ganondorf conquers the Kingdom of Hyrule, it is up to Zelda, Link, and others to fight to reclaim their kingdom; for the first time in a millenium, the Lost Sages are called to join the original seven.
1. Prologue

**Legend of Zelda: The Lost Sages**

_Author's note: Okay, so this is my attempt at a Legend of Zelda fanfic. This is not a sequel to any current game, but its own story (like Twilight Princess is different from Wind Waker.) Most aspects from the story are either from Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess, although do I do draw from other games as well as my own imagination. Also at the end of every chapter I will describe each character in a short paragraph, so you can get my view of the characters as well as learn a little more about the original characters I will throw in. I hope you enjoy._

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda obviously or any other characters from the LoZ franchise. I only own the plot and few OCs.**

Prologue: Fall of Hyrule Castle

The din of the epic battle was only a few yards away, but to Princess Zelda of Hyrule, it felt like an entire world. She was the epitome of hylian beauty with long, straight, blond hair; pale, flawless skin; and deep, penetrating, sky blue eyes. Her slender, lithe form was clad in a pink tunic, tan leggings, boots that came to her thighs, and lightweight yet sturdy gold armor. A modest helm covered her honey blond tresses. She held a lightweight rapier in her right hand. Despite the blade's fragile appearance, it was stronger and harder than most steel.

As heir to the Hyrulian throne, Zelda felt that she should have been one of the first to fall in battle, leading her soldiers against the attacking Gerudos. However her father had given her explicit orders to guard the sacred temple which housed Hyrule's greatest treasure: The Triforce. Now she would be the last to fall if the fight was going as badly as it sounded.

The day had seemed so promising – King Ganondorf of the Gerudos had agreed to negotiations with her father. The Gerudo king ruled the desert nation of Benlucca to the southeast. Although Hyrule was blest with fertile lands, the Gerudos' desert seemed cursed with life. Ganondorf, furious that Hyrule had not seen it fit to aid his people, used these negotiations as a façade to hide his malicious plans to attack Hyrule. The attack had been sudden, quick, and powerful.

Ordinarily one Gerudo King with a small contingent of body guards would be no match for the entire Hyrulian army, but Ganondorf had a dark trick up his sleeve – heinous beasts with terrifying strengths. The creatures appeared like things from a nightmare. The results of their first vicious attacks had been indescribably horrendous. Zelda had wanted nothing more than to fight valiantly alongside her people, but she had no choice but to obey her father's command. She was the only hope to protect the Triforce from Ganondorf.

Having grown accustomed to the clash of steel on steel, and the cries of agony, Zelda was confronted by anew sound that sent terror coursing through her being – the eerie, ominous sudden silence broken by the click of heeled boots walking down a polished, marble floor. Zelda gripped her sword firmly and honed her sense for the upcoming battle. The air around her hummed with the build-up of magical 

energy. She resurrected a magic barrier, but the brute force sent her flying through the large oak doors into the Temple.

Zelda grimaced as she forced herself to stand on trembling legs. The ancient magic of the Temple swirled around her. She caught a glance of her adversary for the first time. It was a tall, heavily muscle3d man clad from head to toe in heavy ebon armor. Two golden irises gleamed menacingly from beneath his visor. She could barely see traces of his dark olive skin. It was Ganondorf, king of the Gerudos.

"Hello Princess," Ganondorf said mockingly. "It seems that you are the last obstacle standing between me and the divine treasure I come to seek."

"I will never let you claim the Triforce," Zelda said. "You attack this castle under the guise of a diplomatic assignment. You have killed innocent people. The goddesses will not look kindly upon you."

"Oh really," Ganondorf said. Even though Zelda could not see his face, she could tell that he was smiling. She took a step back, unsure of his newfound confidence. He raised his hand and the Triforce glowed brightly from its pedestal. The top section glowed more fiercely than the others; it separated from the two other pieces and flew towards Ganondorf. The shrine filled with a golden light. When it died down, Ganondorf stood triumphantly, the mark of the Triforce shone with a golden light on the back of his right hand.

Zelda's sky blue eyes widened in fear. Ganondorf eyed her, amused. "If the goddesses are so displeased with me, then why was I chosen to wield the Triforce of Power?"

As shock coursed through Zelda, she fought hard to regain her resolve. Her eyes narrowed in concentration. She began gathering her magical energy to attack Ganondorf; in one swift instance, she unleashed several swift attacks of light magic. They harmlessly deflected off the Gerudo's own magic shield.

"So you with to still fight one blessed with the Triforce of Power?" Ganondorf asked. "Oh well." He charged in at Zelda so fast that she could barely evade the sweeping arc of his long broadsword. Her thin rapier looked pitifully small and delicate compared to his heavy broadsword. He swung out several more times, but Zelda eluded each attack. As she ducked under one of his attacks, Ganondorf's left hand came flying in and punched her heard in the stomach. Zelda coughed and staggered back, her light sword clattering on the ground. She just barely avoided a mortal stab by Ganondorf's sword. The razor-sharp edge just barely grazed her side.

Time and space suddenly seemed to be distorted. Zelda realized that Ganondorf was creating some sort of illusion. But as she was casting a spell to shatter the illusion, the flat of Ganondorf's blade struck the back of her head; she collapsed to the ground. Knowing Ganondorf was moving into a second attack, she reached out for her sword, which was only an arms-length away. As she grasped the handle and began to pick it up, Ganondorf stepped on the blade, snapping it into two pieces.

Zelda grimaced as she stood up. Although she was more than adept with magic, she was now weaponless. She hesitantly removed her dented helmet. She felt vulnerable without the protection, but it had started digging into the flesh of her skull. Zelda did not want the helmet to cause a deep gash to form.

"It seems that you match the description of your beauty," Ganondorf taunted. "But will your beauty be enough to stop me?"

Zelda closed her eyes and unleashed a powerful wave of magic towards Ganondorf. The Gerudo was thrown back into one of the shrine's walls. This hand glowed gold with the Triforce of Power's energy. Before Zelda could comprehend what had happened, she found herself pinned against a wall with Ganondorf's hand tightening around her neck. She tried futily to fight, but could feel the world darken around her.

Ganondorf released his grip on Zelda and her still form crumpled to the ground. The Gerudo King turned around to face the two remaining pieces of the Triforce. The Triforce of Wisdom glowed fiercely, radiating the whole room. Its golden light swirled around Zelda, lifting her up to her feet. The Hylian Princess opened her sky blue eyes and stared at the mark of the Triforce on her right hand. She raised her head to glare at Ganondorf.

He smiled. "It seems that we both have been blessed by the goddesses. An interesting turn of events."

"This only means that you'll have a harder time seizing the Triforce," Zelda said. The remaining piece of the Triforce glowed in its resting place on the pedestal. The Triforce of Courage spun into the air with a bright, golden light, then vanished. "It seems that the Triforce of Courage has found its holder," Zelda said softly.

Ganondorf's eyes narrowed in rage. "Then I will take wisdom first!" He raised his blade and came charging in at Zelda. The princess closed her eyes, and put one hand on her chest. As the sword came crashing down towards her head in a silver arc, she glowed with a soft, white light for a second, then vanished. Ganondorf muttered a stream of curses as his sword cut cleanly through the air. "I will find you, Princess," he hissed.

_Author's note: Okay so here are the character bios for Zelda and Ganondorf, I know that everyone knows who they are, but I want to give you my take on the characters. I won't put too much effort into the characters that aren't mine. Please review this story to let me know if you think I should continue._

Zelda: The princess of Hyrule, and heir to the throne. Zelda has spent her whole life learning how to be a proper princess and ruler, as well as studying magic and swordplay. It soon became apparent that she possessed a magical prowess exhibited by few other sorcerers; also, her swordsmanship was incredible, in part due to her quick reflexes. Zelda is often very altruistic, and she often follows what she sees as her duty rather than what she would like to do.

Ganondorf: The king of the Gerudos. From an early age, Ganondorf has always desired more than just his desert kingdom. He built up a small, but incredible army of Gerudo fighters as well as studying dark magic. In his studies, he learned about other realms which contained heinous creatures. Hoping to increase his power, he brought several of the monsters under his control, and used them to further his own greedy purposes.


	2. More Training

Chapter One: Training

Link hovered somewhere between fantasy and reality. He was not yet awake, but he was not quite asleep either. Rather, he existed somewhere in the middle, observing his surrounding yet being completely oblivious to them. He heard the sound of running water, like the flow of a river; his bed felt unusually rock hard. He vaguely heard something like talking. A swift kick to his ribs jerked him awake.

The Hylain bolted upright, grabbing the nearest thing he could find in self-defense – a medium-sized rock. He glared into a pair of warm hazel eyes. "Boy, if you have reflexes that fast you should not be such a heavy sleeper," Rusl said, smirking.

Link groaned, rubbing his sore side. His smoky, cobalt blue eyes surveyed his surroundings. He was in a cave near the Ordona Spring; he had heard the water in his sleep, but for some reason had chosen to ignore it. How did he get here?

Rusl smiled, clearly amused by Link's confusion. "How did I get out here?" the Hylian finally asked.

"How do you think, boy? I carried you out here after you wouldn't wake up."

"All by yourself?" Link asked, not believing.

"Aryll was a great help," Rusl said with a shrug.

Link sighed. Of course his little sister would help Rusl abduct him from his own house. "Why?"

"Why would Aryll help? I don't know." Rusl grinned.

"Why am I out here?"

"Don't play daft boy. You know full well why."

"I told you I planned on enjoying my day off for once."

"Do I look like I care, boy? You want to be a better swordsman, right?"

Link glared at him. "Fine, Rusl."

"Good, now come with me," Rusl said, staring to walk out of the cave.

"What about breakfast?"

Rusl glanced over his shoulder. "You should have woken up earlier." Link groaned.

--

Link pressed his back flat against a tree trunk, concealed in the thick foliage. Rusl had the Hylian working on using his surroundings to his advantage. Right now, Link was working on staying hidden.

The middle-aged swordsman came into view. Link held his breath, remaining absolutely still. His cobalt blue eyes tracked Rusl's movements carefully. He moved slightly to place his hand on the hilt of his dull, metal practice sword. Hopefully the rustle sounded only like a squirrel moving in the trees.

Rusl bent down to pick on a smooth stone. "Boy, you'll have to better than that," Rusl said, throwing the stone straight towards Link. The Hylian ducked to avoid the rock, giving away his position in the process. Link quickly descended the tree, parrying Rusl's attack.

Rusl forced Link back towards a tree. "What is the point of this training? Think, boy." Link tripped backwards over a tree root, landing hard on his back. He grabbed a handful of dirt, and threw it into Rusl's face. The swordsman backed off, rubbing his eyes. "You're learning," he muttered.

Link moved in, taking advantage of Rusl's disadvantage. The swordsman quickly recovered though, and parried Link's attacks. Once again he began maneuvering Link towards the trees. Link tried to stay in the clearing, but found it increasingly harder. However, he soon began gaining ground; the Hylian began forcing Rusl back towards a tree. He thrust his sword forward. Rusl sidestepped and looked amused as Link's sword got stuck in the tree. He swung his own sword at Link. The Hylian leapt out of the range of Rusl's attack, but was now weaponless. Rusl pressed forward, increasing the distant between Link and the Hylian's sword.

"Stand your ground and fight me," Rusl said, preventing Link from retrieving his weapon.

"I don't have a weapon."

"Improvise." Rusl's sword came flying down toward Link's head. The Hylian rolled out of the way, picking up a large branch to use as a makeshift weapon. He parried Rusl's next attack, but the sword slicked into the branch. A normal sword would have swept clean through the wood, but the dulled practice blade Rusl wielded only took a chunk out. "come on boy you can do better than that. Put some effort into it."

Link gritted his teeth and swung the branch in his hands. Rusl easily parried the attack, knocking Link's makeshift weapon out of his hands easily. His dull practice blade struck Link hard in the collar bone. The Hylian cried in pain, stumbling backwards.

"I think that's enough torture for today. You are going to have to learn how to manipulate your surroundings better, Link." Link just glared at Rusl as he moved. "Don't blame me for your bruises, boy. You'll have to get better if you with to avoid more bruises."

Link sighed. "I know, Rusl. You don't have to remind me."

"Hey cheer up; you're better than a lot of soldiers I've met. At least you understood the gist oof this exercise. You'll just need more training."

"You're done?" a disappointed voice asked.

"Sorry Darin," Link said with a smile. "Should've woken up earlier."

The boy who entered the clearing was about Link's age. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular with short brown hair and brown eyes. Darin glowered at Link. "I have been up since dawn, which is much earlier than you were. I saw Rusl and Aryll drag you outside still asleep. My mother has had Caleb and me cleaning up the house for Artur. He's the youngest one of us and Mother makes the biggest deal out of him.

"You should be proud of your brother," Rusl said. "It is an honor to study in Hyrule Castle Town."

"I know, I know," Darin said. "Sure, I'm glad for Artur; I just think my morther is making too big a deal about his return home."

Rusl smiled. "Well it will be nice to see Artur again. Ordon is not as interesting with only two of the triplets here. But I suppose once Artur arrives, the three of you and Link will once again casue trouble. Artur was always the 'brains' of your operations."

"Come on Rusl, we're way too old for such childish pranks," Link said.

"You four were the biggest troublemakers in the village," Rusl said. "Don't tell me you've changed."

Darin and Link just smiled.

Rusl sighed. "When is Artur supposed to arrive?"

"Probably less than an hour. I came here hoping to join the end of your practice. But now you're done."

"I'm sure your mother doesn't want you to get all sweaty before you go to meet your brother."

Darin shrugged. "I don't think she'll mind… _that_ much."

"I think she will," a voice replied. A boy who closely resembled Darin, but less muscular with longer hair and beech-leaf green eyes came up behind Rusl. "Darin, Mother wants us home _right now._"

"At least I was doing something productive, Caleb."

"So was I."

"Flirting with Ilia."

Caleb turned a bright shade of red. "I was just having a pleasant conversation with her."

"_Right._ You were both blushing, and avoided eye contact at all costs."

"Intriguing," Rusl said. "Does Bo know that you like Ilia?"

"Why are you automatically assuming that I like her?"

"I think you make it obvious," Link said with a grin.

Caleb sighed. "Alright, I like her. No, Bo does not know. End of story. Happy?"

"Caleb, Bo is going to kill you."

"Thanks for the encouragement, Darin. Thanks a lot."

"The two of you better get back before _your mother_ kills you," Rusl said.

"Yeah, yeah," Darin replied.

Caleb looked out over Ordona Spring. "What is that?" he asked.

Link turned around as a golden light crashed into him. He felt a powerful source of energy course through him. He vaguely heard Darin and Caleb calling his name in shock. His dusky blue eyes closed, and he crumpled to the ground unconscious.

--

_Author's note: Okay, hope everyone liked the story. Now for the description of the new characters._

Link: Okay we all know who Link is. Link is a goat herder from Ordon who is skilled in sword craft and horsemanship. He studies under the village smith, Rusl and is extremely helpful. The kids in the village adore him and he is their unspoken leader. His father died before Aryll was born, and his mother died shortly after Aryll was born so the villagers helped raise the two children.

Rusl: The village smith in the village of Ordon. Rusl briefly served as a soldier in Hyrule Castle, but after an injury to his leg, he decided to retire his career as a fighter early, and moved back to his childhood home where he married Uli. They have one son, Colin, and Uli is about four or five months pregnant with their second child.

Darin: the "strong" triplet. Darin is cocky, stubborn, but loyal. He is a childhood friend of Link, and also the triplet with the lowest intelligence. (He's not stupid, but Caleb and Artur are smarter than him.) He also scoffs the idea of female fighters (which will cause problems in the beginning.) He is Rusl's apprentice in both sword and blacksmithing.

Caleb: the "handsome" triplet. Caleb is an unquestionable flirt, and the most handsome of the three triplets. (they are not identical triplets, but do strongly resemble each other.) Caleb is fast, well-balanced and unmatched in archery (at least in Ordon.) He is one of Link's childhood friends.

Artur: the "smart" triplet. Artur was a frail child who often suffered from the shortness of breath. (Okay, so basically he has asthma, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't called asthma back then, so we will call it 'shortness of breath.' He still has occasional attacks.) Because of this, he chose to become a scholar instead of a warrior. As smart as he is, Artur is also easily frightened, and definitely not a leader.


	3. Village Raid

_A/N: Okay Chapter Two, finally. Sorry it took me so long to put this up, but my Smash Bros. story takes priority over this one._

Chapter Two: Village Raid

Link slowly opened his eyes with a suppressed groan. A pair of teal blue eyes looked into his eyes in concern. "Good, you're up," Aryll said with a smile, brushing a lock of her wheat-blond hair out of her face. "Just in time for dinner." A solemn look returned to her face. "What exactly happened?"

Link slowly sat up, rubbing his head. "I don't know. A golden light struck me and I fainted."

"That's what Darin and Caleb said. You have a weird mark on your left hand."

His gaze fell on the back of his left hand. Three golden triangles put together to make a larger triangle faintly glowed. The one on the bottom right glowed more fiercely than the others.

"What in Din's name?" Link asked.

"I know; it's weird. Let's eat our dinner. Uli made it."

"Well that was nice of her. I'll have to thank her later."

"She just wants to have a legitimate reason for making you work in her garden. Artur's back."

"I know; Darin missed sword practice."

"You didn't want to go," Aryll said with an evil smile.

"Well I suppose I have you to thank for all my new bruises."

Aryll smiled. "Glad to help. You sure needed the training."

Link sighed. "So what did Uli make?"

Aryll just continued smiling. "It's a surprise."

--

Rusl took a calming walk outside, breathing in the fresh air. After the chaos of today, it was nice to just go off by himself and think. The whole town had been excited with Artur's return. His mother had fussed endlessly over her little scholar, much to the embarrassment of Darin and Caleb.

But that was not what was preoccupying his mind. It was what had happened to Link. The golden light that knocked him out was strange enough, but Rusl had caught a glimpse of the back of Link's left hand. The strange symbol was a clear as daylight – the Triforce.

That was what bothered Rusl. Why did Link have the Triforce? Rusl didn't know much about the ancient power of Hyrule, but he knew that it didn't grant its powers to an individual during peaceful times. What was happening in Hyrule?

A golden form swooped down in his peripheral vision. Rusl's gaze turned to watch the messenger cuckoo land. He recognized the fowl as one of Telma's. Telma was a plump Gerudo woman who owned a popular tavern in Hyrule Castle Town. She also organized a small band of people devoted to the well-being of Hyrule.

Rusl took the message and read it quickly. The note fell out of his hands as stared off into space in shock. Hyrule had fallen? It took him probably five minutes just to wrap his mind around that one fact. It seemed that Telma's concerns about the Gerudo king were not unfounded after all. Rusl had known that Ganondorf was greedy, but he did not expect of full-scale invasion. He certainly would not have foreseen Hyrule losing. That was not even the most shocking part.

_At least now I know why Link has a piece of the Triforce._ Ganondorf held Power. With a piece of Triforce in his grasp, the Gerudo king would be virtually unstoppable. The only consolation it seemed was that Princess Zelda held Wisdom. She was now in hiding. _Looks like Link has courage._ It suited the boy well, but now he had an enormous responsibility on his shoulders. Rusl wasn't sure that Link was ready for such a burden. The boy was capable, but…

"What have you gotten yourself into boy?" Rusl asked aloud.

He sighed, then realized something: the forest was eerily silent. It was summer – a time of mosquito, crickets and cicadas. Not a single insect broke the silence.

Rusl quietly moved to the edge of the village. What was making the insects silent? He peered into the dark foliage, ducking as a fire arrow flew towards him. A green-skinned, vaguely humanoid creature ran towards him with a club.

Cursing, Rusl struck the creature down. "Moblin raid!" he exclaimed, praying some of the villagers heard him. _Great first the mess with the Triforce, now this. Why in Din's name are moblins here?_

--

Link heard a sharp knock on his door. He sighed and opened it. Darin and Caleb stood at the door with their weapons. (Darin with a sword, Caleb with a bow.) "Hurry up, Link!" Darin exclaimed. "Moblins are raiding the village!"

Link stood staring in shock for a second before running to grab his sword. "Stay inside, Aryll," he ordered.

"Why? What's happening?"

"Moblin raid."

"Link wait…" Aryll started to call, but Link had already left. The Hylian swordsman followed Darin and Caleb into the village. The scent of smoke wafted into his nostrils. One of the houses was on fire! It was Rusl's house. Hopefully Uli and Colin had evacuated. A fire arrow barely missed grazing his side.

Caleb notched an arrow to his bow and released it, the arrow flying into the darkness. A cry of pain let him know that an arrow had hit its target.

"Darin, Link over there!" Artur exclaimed, pointing towards Ordon Bridge. Artur looked similar to Darin and Caleb, but had hazel eyes and glasses. His hair was somewhere between Darin's and Caleb's in length, but the exact same shade of brown. Physically, he was slight and weak compared to his brothers.

Link and Darin adjusted the grip on their simple swords and ran towards the Ordon Bridge. The sight of a huge moblin in a horned helmet on a giant boar stopped them dead in their tracks. Link took a step back, unsure of the moblin's strength, but Darin walked forward confidently. A feral smile spread across the moblin's face. "What do we have here?" he asked.

"Your downfall," Darin said, charging forward.

"Darin wait!" Link exclaimed, but Darin paid him no heed. The giant moblin held his ground as the headstrong boy rushed forward. With one, well-aimed blow, the moblin struck down Darin with his heavy club. "Darin!" Link exclaimed, rushing to his fallen friend. The strange triangle on the back of his left hand glowed fiercely. Darin groaned in pain. "Foolish," Link spat. He turned to face the giant moblin.

A curious look was on the moblin's face. "So you are the one boss wants dead."

"What?" Link asked, taken aback.

The moblin's gaze fell on the golden triangle design; his eyes narrowed. "Courage."

"What are you talking about?" Link asked.

The moblin responded by swinging his club straight at Link's head. Link dropped to the ground under the moblin's attack. He sprung forward to counterattack the moblin, but the moblin blocked Link's attack with his shield. Bringing his bludgeon back towards Link, the moblin forced the Hylian to parry his blow. Link blocked the attack, but the impact jarred both his arms up to his shoulders. His iron sword fell out of his grasp, clattering to the ground.

The moblin grabbed the collar of Link's shirt and jerked him forward, seizing the Hylian's throat and lifting him up off the ground. Link struggled in the moblin's grip, feeling his airway constricted. "Killing you will be easy," the moblin hissed.

_I wonder if this is how Artur feels when he has one of his breathing attacks,_ Link thought. Oddly, he did not feel panic or fear; an eerie calm had fallen on him. His mind cycled through different escape possibilities, each time coming up short. His lungs burned for air.

The moblin howled in pain as an arrow imbedded itself in his arm. He released his grasp on Link, turning to face his new opponent. Caleb notched another arrow to his bow, beech-leaf green eyes narrowing in concentration. Fumbling for his sword, Link took in grateful gulps of air. In one swift movement, he thrust his sword forward, slicing the moblin's side.

Howling in a mixture of anger and pain, the moblin struck Link on the back of the head. The Hylian staggered back, the world swirling around him. He vaguely heard someone call out his name as his knees buckled beneath his weight. The ground seemed to give a violent lurch before Link fell into oblivious darkness.

--

_A/N: Yeah, it's done, finally. So yeah, I hope everyone likes the story so far. Anyways only one biography so far._

Aryll: Aryll is Link's younger sister and his biggest responsibility. She never knew either of her parents, and has relied on Link for everything. She is very sweet and is always a big help, but can be very mischievous at times. Ever since she was little, she has had the strange ability to sense magic, especially around Ordona Spring.


	4. Explanations

_A/N: Okay Chapter Three. Thank you for all the reviews; they are much appreciated. This chapter will not end with Link being knocked unconscious. I realize that's how the first two chapters ended. Also, the moblins that attacked Link's village were the bulbins from Twilight Princess. I will draw heavily from several basic plot events from previous games. (I'm sure many of you realized that the moblins were bulblins. I just found out that these moblins had a specific name.) Enjoy the story._

Chapter Three: Explanations

Link groaned as his mind slowly drifted awake. He felt like he had struck the ground with his head. Very slowly he sat opened, opening his cobalt blue eyes.

A pair of red irises stared into his blue ones intently.

Link gave a small cry of shock and looked at the figure before him. It was a boy about his own age, but slightly shorter and more toned. He wore a tight blue tunic over darker blue leggings as well as brown boots and leather armguards that also covered the back of palm with a small sheet of metal. A red eye design with three lashes and a teardrop adorned a ragged grey poncho-like piece of cloth. The boy had tan skin, layered blond hair, and piercing, red irises. However, Link could not get a good look at his face because it was covered in grey veils.

"So you're finally awake," the boy said in a soft voice.

"What happened?" Link asked.

"I rescued you and your friends."

That caught Link's attention. "Are they alright? Where are they? Where are we?"

The boy held up his hand to silence Link. "Your friends are fine; the one with the sword has a few broken ribs, but other than that, he is fine. They are outside this cave. We are somewhere in the center of Faron Woods."

"Why are we so far from Ordon?"

"It was destroyed. Also, save for you and the triplets, anyone under the age of twenty was kidnapped."

"What?" Link asked in shock. The image of Aryll rose unbidden to his mind. Those monsters had taken his sister? "What do moblins do with their prisoners?"

The boy shrugged. "Keep them as slaves; sell them on illegal slave markets. They won't kill them in cold blood if that's what you're worried about."

That still didn't mean that Aryll wasn't dead. Link took a deep, calming breath. Worrying about Aryll would get nothing accomplished. "Who are you?" he asked the boy.

"That should have been your first question; I am Sheik."

Link nodded. "I am Link."

"I know. Rusl told me."

"Oh, so Rusl is here also?"

Sheik nodded. "Come on; they are waiting for you to wake up." He led Link outside the cave.

"Absolutely foolish," Rusl told Darin, who had his ribs bandaged. "No, not just foolish, suicidal. What on earth possessed you to try and take on the King Bulblin by yourself? No, I don't want to know. But remember this, Darin – you are not immortal. You are gifted with a blade, but you lack true combat experience." The swordsman sighed. "I suppose that is partly my fault. I should have been more thorough with your training from the beginning. Your training and Link's." His gaze fell on the Hylian. "Speaking of Link, how are you?"

Link shrugged. "A little sore. My head is killing me." His encounter with the one moblin flashed in his head. "One of the moblins said his boss wanted me dead. Why would a moblin want me dead?"

Rusl glanced at Sheik. "It is as you feared," he muttered. "Not good."

"What?" Link asked, intrigued. "Rusl, do you know what's going on?"

Rusl sighed. "I suppose some kind of explanation is called for, seeing as you are about to be swept into something far worse than a moblin raid."

A million questions swam through Link's consciousness, but he calmly sat down, awaiting Rusl's explanation. Instead it was Sheik who spoke up. "I suppose I'd better tell you this story from the beginning.

"After the three goddesses created the world and all the living creatures in it, they bestowed a blessing on the land before ascending into the heavens. That blessing was known as the Triforce."

"Professor Shad taught me that in my studies," Artur said.

Sheik nodded. "It is a fairly common legend. Anyways, the Triforce is split into three pieces – Power, Wisdom, and Courage."

The voice of the Bulblin King rose to Link's mind, muttering one word: "Courage." Suddenly he knew what Sheik was getting at. Somehow he had gotten the Courage part of the Triforce. However that thought only brought more questions to his mind.

"Less than a week ago, the King of the Gerudos, under the guise of a diplomatic meeting, seized control of Hyrule Castle, murdering the king."

Link, Darin, Artur, and Caleb all gasped in shock. Sheik turned to Artur. "You just barely avoided the chaos." Artur nodded, paler than usual.

"Anyways," Sheik continued, "Ganondorf gained more than just Hyrule Castle. He also seized the Triforce of Power. With it, he has almost unlimited power; it will be near impossible to defeat him. Hyrule will be at his mercy.

"Luckily, Princess Zelda of Hyrule has the Triforce of Wisdom. She will do whatever it takes to save Hyrule from Ganondorf. She commissioned me to search for the person who possessed the third piece of the Triforce – Courage."

"I have Courage," Link finished, holding up his hand. The strange symbol – the symbol of the Triforce – glowed faintly. Sheik nodded. Darin, Caleb, and Artur all gasped and crowded around Link to see his hand. "But why do I have Courage? What makes me special?"

Sheik shrugged. "Who knows, but you obviously must be very courageous. The Triforce chooses its wielder to be the person who best exemplifies its aspect. For you – Courage."

"But what are we going to do?" Artur asked. "We already know that this Ganondorf is after Link. Do you plan for Link to remain in hiding?"

"We are going to Kakariko Village," Rusl said. "It is the gathering place of the Adventurer's Guild."

"The what?" Darin asked.

"Professor Shad mentioned it once, I think," Artur said. "What is the Adventurer's Guild?"

"The Adventurer's Guild is a group of people dedicated to the well-being of Hyrule. They are working alongside the Princess to reclaim Hyrule. We will help them."

"How do you know so much about this Adventurer's Guild?" Caleb asked.

"I am a member," Rusl replied.

"Is Professor Shad a member? Is that why he mentioned it?" Artur looked up at Rusl curiously.

"He is," Rusl said. "I'm surprised that he told you about it."

"Well, he didn't tell me about it. I just heard him mention it to someone else once or twice."

"So you were eavesdropping?"

Artur blushed. "Well, yes, but…"

"I suppose there's nothing wrong with a little curiosity. Now the three of you should get ready to go. It's at least four days to reach Kakariko Village, and we don't have any time to waste."

The four boys nodded and went about gathering the supplies that Rusl had brought for them.

--

After a full day of travel, the boys quickly began to set up camp for the night (which did not take long seeing as they had little gear to set up.) Rusl noticed Sheik wonder off towards a nearby stream. He followed quietly.

"Hello Rusl," Sheik said, splashing water on his face. He had not even glanced up to see who was approaching. Rusl sighed – Sheikahs.

"I've decided to go ahead and scout the area for possible trouble spots," Rusl said. "I also thought that I might alert Impa that you found Link and are heading back to Kakariko."

Sheik absently nodded, adjusting his leather armguards.

"I leave them in your capable hands…Zelda."

There were a few moments of awkward silence before Sheik finally spoke up. "I'm not surprised that you figured it out." Sheik's voice was softer and more feminine than it had sounded a moment ago.

"I always suspected that Impa taught you more than basic swordplay," Rusl replied, "although your performance against the Bulblin King was far more impressive than I had anticipated. You fight with the skills of a full-blooded Sheikah. I'm sure Impa is pleased with your work."

"Your words are well-spoken," Sheik said, "but I feel unworthy of them. I was powerless against Ganondorf when he attacked the castle. I was also unable to even seriously injure the Bulblin King. So far all I've been able to do is run away."

"Do not judge your skills by looking only at your failures. You are a skilled warrior; you fight with a grace and agility that few can match. Perhaps you could not defeat Ganondorf or the Bulblin King, but neither could they best you."

Sheik did not say anything for a minute. "Let Impa know that I am okay; she must be worried about me."

"Of course…Your Highness," Rusl said before returning to the camp.

--

"So what do you make of this Sheik?" Caleb asked.

Darin shrugged. "So far, I'm not impressed."

"Rusl seems to have confidence in him," Link replied.

"Because Sheik is an incredible warrior," Artur said. "You should have seen him fend off that giant moblin. It was incredible."

"Incredible how?" Darin asked. "He appears to be in good shape, but he doesn't seem like he would be unbelievably strong."

"More like unbelievably fast," Caleb said. "He evaded all the moblin's attacks and struck like lightning. He seemed to blend into the shadows also. What's your opinion of him, Link?"

Link shrugged. "I guess I found the red eyes unnerving."

"He's a Sheikah," Artur replied.

"Huh?" Link, Caleb, and Darin asked.

"The Sheikah are a race dedicated to protecting the Royal Family," Artur replied. "They all have red eyes."

"Maybe it's for intimidation," Caleb said. "Sheik's eyes are unsettling."

Rusl walked in front of the boys. "I'm going ahead to Kakariko Village to scout out for any trouble. Sheik will be in charge of you; please don't give him any trouble. I'll see you in a few days."

"Why does Sheik automatically get put in charge?" Darin asked.

"Because he is more than capable of leading you," Rusl replied. "He has a greater maturity, and he is a stronger warrior. Trust me in this."

Link nodded. "Alright Rusl."

Caleb, Artur, and Darin also agreed; Darin reluctantly.

"See you in a few days," Rusl replied, walking off.

_A/N: First chapter with Link that doesn't end with Link being knocked unconscious. Hope everyone likes the story so far. Now for Sheik's bio._

Sheik: A Sheikah warrior trained by Impa. Sheik is really a guise for Princess Zelda. Impa secretly taught Zelda how to fight like a Sheikah while she taught the Princess basic swordplay. As Sheik, Zelda is more lithe, agile, and flexible, but her magic isn't as strong.


	5. Twilight Usurper

_A/N: So I'm finally updating this story. This chapter takes a very different course from the previous chapters (for obvious reasons) so I hope you enjoy._

Chapter Four: Twilight Usurper

She stared at herself in the full-length mirror, idly running her fingers through her vibrant orange hair. She was tall and slender, extremely attractive by most twili standards. In her appearance and graceful manner of holding herself, Midna looked every bit the Princess of Twilight that she was.

Her red eyes briefly left her reflection to glare at the ceiling above her. Three months. It had been three months since her father, the last King of the Twilight Realm, had died, and she had yet to ascend the throne. The twili nobles had yet to acquiesce to her father's dying wishes and let her assume the throne. All because she was a woman. Some argued that the throne should pass to the next male successor – Zant. Others argued that she should first marry another high-ranking male before allowing her the right to rule her kingdom – most likely also Zant.

_I would fight to my dying breath before I allow Zant to claim the throne,_ Midna thought. _And I would sooner slit my own throat before I would marry him._

Zant may have been high-ranking and next in line for the throne, but he was not fit to be called the king of the twili – ever. Just one look in his eyes revealed avarice for power, a want to bring the twili back to their former glory – the strength they had when they had still existed in the realm of light. Zant possessed the same arrogance and greed that had been resulted in the banishment of their people to this realm. If Zant was allowed free rule of the Twilight Realm, he would cause a number of calamities.

And it seemed more and more of the nobles were beginning to finally realize this. More nobles seemed more willing to support her rightful claim to the throne. Many twili resented their banishment to this realm – but very few were crazy enough to want and try to fight against the Goddesses' punishment. Zant was one of these insane ones.

"Excuse me, milady, but you have an audience in a few minutes," a young serving girl said.

Midna turned around. "Thank you for the reminder, Karaine."

The young girl nodded, moving to rearrange two books on an end table. (Both books and furniture were rare in the Twilight Realm, but as Princess, Midna could afford these few luxuries.) Karaine was a few years younger than Midna, but possessed the same vibrant hair. However, the similarities ended there. Karaine's right eye was the traditional yellow of a twili eye, but her left eye was a clear, deep blue-violet: a Hylian eye. Also, whereas her right arm and leg bore the traditional twili markings, her left arm and leg were unusually bare. Then again Karaine was only half-twili.

When Karaine was just a child, the truth of her half-Hylian heritage had come to light, and the Twili nobles had conspired to have her killed. However, Midna had interceded, making the girl her servant, sparing Karaine's life. In return, Karaine had promised her undying loyalty to the Princess. However, Midna had gained much more than a servant: in the years she had known the young Halfling, Midna had come to see the girl as her younger sister, friend, and confidante.

Quickly tying the ends of her auburn tresses together in front of her face, Midna made one last visual check of herself in the mirror. She turned abruptly. "Time to leave," she announced, signaling Karaine to fall into her usual place a few paces behind the Princess.

--

Midna nodded politely to the last noble as he exited the throne room. As soon as the room was empty, a smile of relief and elation had crossed her face. They had accepted. Enough of the nobles had agreed to her rule over Zant's greedy fumbles for power. At the end of the week, she would be crowned Queen of the Twilight Realm.

There was a soft knock on the throne room doors. "Enter," she called, hiding her joyful expression under a political mask. However, as soon as the young Twili entered, Midna felt her grin growing back across her face.

"I see smiling," the young male said, flashing a grin of his own. "I take it that is good news."

Midna nodded to Azuno – her childhood friend and son of the Captain of the Royal Guard. "The nobles have agreed to let me rule the throne on my own as my late father wished. My coronation will be at the end of this week."

"Then that is certainly good news," Azuno replied.

"Good?" Karaine asked, "It's great!" She blushed as she realized her outburst, but Azuno only chuckled at her.

"May I have a word, Your Highness?" a collected, sinister voice asked.

Karaine tensed behind Midna while Azuno stiffened, moving closer to Midna's side. Midna let her gaze fall coolly on the Twili in the doorway. "Hello Zant," she said coldly. "What do you want?"

"I merely wish to congratulate you," Zant said calmly, although his eyes showed that he was anything but happy for her. "The Twili nobles have finally acknowledged your right to the throne."

"It was my father's wish that I rule the Twilight Realm in his stead," Midna replied, keeping her emotions in check. Zant seemed to always try her patience. "I only wish to do what is best for my people."

"Well I ask you to entertain a thought if you really are concerned for the best," Zant said.

"What is it?" Midna asked, knowing whatever he asked for could not be good.

"I ask that you fight against the Hylians – the ones who imprisoned our people in this world of perpetual twilight. Our people were unjustly exiled here, and it is time we right that wrong."

"I understand your request," Midna said, "but I will not endanger our people over such folly."

"Folly?" Zant exclaimed, barely able to contain his outrage.

"Perhaps our people were unjustly sentenced to this realm, but it would be foolish to start a war with the Hylians over something that happened centuries ago. The only thing that would result from such a war would be death."

"I see," Zant sneered, whirling around as if to leave. However, he merely raised his hand, sending the doors of the throne room flying shut. A scream of agony pierced the air.

"What's going on here?" Midna demanded, knowing instantly that Zant had something to do with it.

"Just a little palace coup," Zant replied, flinging a ball of magic at her.

Azuno easily reflected the attack with his own spell, placing himself between Midna and Zant, dark eyes narrowing in contempt. A blade of magic appeared in his hands, pointed straight at the traitor. "Quisling," he spat, voice laced with venom.

"I will be remembered as the Twili who brought us back to power from this Twilit Prison," Zant sneered. "History will remember you only as a handful of weaklings who fell to their superior." He charged forward, two balls of energy flying toward Azuno. The guard easily blocked the attack with his magic, swinging his sword at Zant.

Zant parried with his own magic sword. The two exchanged attacks back and forth with neither seeming to gain the advantage. However, Zant feinted to the right before bringing his sword to collide with the side of Azuno's head, knocking the guard to the ground unconscious. He turned all of his attention toward Midna. "There is still a chance for you to keep your throne," Zant said in a collected voice.

"And what would that be?" Midna asked, her outward calm not matching the seething anger raging inside of her.

"Agree to marry me and rule at my side. Of course, you would merely be the nominal ruler, but you would still be treated as a proper queen."

Disgust crossed Midna's face. "I will never marry you, and I will not allow you to lead our people to ruin. Your tyranny will end here before it even has the chance to begin."

"Brave, empty words for a woman about to be murdered," Zant replied evenly before attacking. Midna easily blocked the barrage of spells he sent at her, magic easily flowing from her hands into complex spells.

"You may be powerful, Zant," Midna said, taking a step forward, "but I am the Princess of the Twili. My magic will always be much more powerful than yours." She raised her hand, casting a powerful spell on the traitor, bringing him to his knees as he cried out in pain. She walked forward confidently until she stood before him, placing a single finger on his forehead. Closing her eyes, she summoned the magic to cast the final spell.

Intense, white-hot pain shot through her side, shattering her concentration. She collapsed to the ground as Zant wrenched a knife from her side. Clutching desperately at the wound, she could only stare in shock at the make of the weapon. Her people fought with weapons given solid form by their magic. But this blade of hardened steel and an engraved hilt was Hylian-make. "You are a coward and weakling to hide behind a Hylian weapon," Midna gasped, hatred and disdain apparent in her voice.

"Your words carry no weight," Zant said. "It is a quite effective weapon." He raised the blade as if to strike Midna again. However, a burst of magic knocked it from his hands.

"Milady!" Karaine exclaimed, taking a few steps toward the fallen princess.

"This is a battle for the Twili, not you, half-breed!" Zant spat.

"Karaine, stay back," Midna ordered, forcing herself to rise on shaky legs.

"But Milady…"

"That's an order." The steel in her voice matched the hardness in her eye. She poured some of her magic into healing the wound at the side, but it did very little. She had never been good at the healing arts. She formed her magic into a shuriken shape, flinging it at Zant. He easily dodged the attack, rushing toward Midna. She evaded his first attacks easily, but after a minute her wound made it difficult to elude his strikes. She countered with sorcery as best she could, but eventually Zant broke through her defenses, sending her crashing to the ground with a particularly brutal attack.

"Midna!" Karaine exclaimed.

Zant glared at the half-Twili girl before lifting her off the ground with his magic, forcing the air from her lungs. "Your very presence is an insult to me," he hissed. "Why a half-breed like you was allowed to live so long is beyond my comprehension."

Karaine gasped for air before she felt an eerie calm surround her. Her mismatched eyes widened as she realized what Midna was doing. Her lips formed the word "no" but no sound came out. Her body flashed for a second before dissolving as she was teleported away.

Zant turned his attention back to Midna. "You would waste your magic on a pathetic creature such as that girl."

"Karaine is not a creature, she is my friend," Midna responded. "And you may kill me, but you will not win this kingdom so easily."

"Will I?" Zant asked innocently. "You don't seem to comprehend the size of the following I have garnered from among your seemingly most loyal subjects."

"Empty words do not intimidate me," Midna hissed.

"Perhaps I will show you how easily your people are made to follow me," Zant said calmly, turning his gaze on the fallen Azuno. Raising a hand, he poured a dark energy into the unconscious Twili's body. Azuno cried out briefly before his body began to warp. Midna watched in horror as her childhood friend was transformed into a ghastly shadow creature. "Even the most stubborn is eventually…persuaded into supporting my cause."

"They are not your disciples then," Midna spat. "They're slaves."

"Thralls are easier to control and much more loyal than a disciple," Zant replied. "And who said anything about killing you, dear? Your death would make you a martyr in the Twili's eyes. They would fight back harder. So I've got a much better plan. Would your people support you if you suddenly lost all your power and strength?"

"What are you saying?" Midna asked vehemently.

Zant's magic seemed to encase her body, lifting her into the air. She cried out in pain as she felt as if her entire body was being torn apart under his spell. After what felt like an eternity, Mida collapsed to the ground. She started to move a hand to steady her spinning head but stopped. Her hand seemed much smaller than before. She glanced down at her form in horror. Gone was the beautiful, svelte figure befitting a princess, replaced with…

"Would your people support an imp queen?" Zant taunted. "I doubt they would. You are now powerless."

Midna raised her hand as if to cast a spell on Zant, but she was unable to summon her magic. She could feel it inside of her, but it was as if a barrier prevented her from reaching it. Her eyes widened as she realized just what Zant had done to her.

"The Twili would never follow such a weak, pathetic ruler," Zant replied. "Death would be far too good for you. I think this punishment is far worse, wouldn't you agree?" When Midna failed to say anything, he scowled. "I am now the ruler of the Twilight Realm, and you are officially banished." Without a second glance, he teleported Midna away. "And may I never see your face again." He turned his attention to Azuno. "Search the castle for any of the remaining servants or nobles faithful to Midna. Bring them to me."

Azuno lingered. A wry smile crossed Zant's face as he felt the youth trying to resist him. It was a futile effort. "NOW!" The creature scurried away, head bowed in submission. Zant smiled triumphantly. His next move would be to assemble his army of creatures to attack Hyrule. _Our plan is going just as planned, Ganondorf,_ he thought smugly.

_A/N: Wow I haven't touched this in forever, but the plot's been on my mind a lot lately so I think I'll try to get back in the groove of writing it. Hopefully I'll be able to balance this with my other stories among other things. I wouldn't expect a timely update though. Anyways, I hoped everyone enjoyed the chapter. Please review!_

Midna: The princess of the Twilight Realm and heir to the throne. Graced with powerful magic and a sharp tongue, she constantly fights to gain the throne after her father's death. Although she tries to come off as callous and unconcerned, she has a kind heart, evidenced by her rescuing of Karaine as a child. She does everything in her power to keep Zant's delusions of the Twili's return to power from destroying her people.

Karaine: A half-Twili, half-Human girl. Her father was banished for his intermingling with a Hylian, and Karaine was nearly killed. However, Midna stepped in and saved the girl by making Karaine her maid. She is shy and insecure due to the constant harassment she faces from others. She views Midna as an older sister and idolizes her, eternally grateful the Midna saved her life as a child. She knows all of Midna's problems and concerns and wishes to help the princess whenever she is in need of it.

Azuno: A Twili soldier and childhood friend of Midna. His father was the head of the Royal Guards, and he was training to inherit the position after his father retired. He is unquestioningly loyal to his princess and skilled in combative magic.

Zant: A Twili noble and sorcerer, next in-line to the throne after Midna. He causes dissent among the upper class by preaching about a return to power and glory. However, his words clumsily hide a keen avarice for power. It is this message that both gains and loses followers for him.


End file.
